Photo: Nissan
Steadily nearing the end of its production lifecycle, the first-generation Leaf still has a few tricks up its sleeve until the curtain falls and the all-new model takes over from the original. In the UK for example, Nissan tries to keep interest high with a special edition whose theme is the color black. However, it’s not cheap.
At £26,890 including the £4,500 UK government grant, the Nissan Leaf Black Edition is a whopping £5,700 more expensive than the Tekna, the de facto king of the hill as far as trim levels are concerned. To make matters a bit worse, the limited-run EV started life as a mid-range Accenta (£19,190).
Value for money may not be the specialty of the Leaf Black Edition, but what you do get in return for that bundle of pounds sterling is free in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot for the first 200 customers, as well as lots of otherwise optional bits. The 16-inch black alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Energy Saver tires, for example, are unique to the Black Edition. In addition to those, the murdered-out theme is continued by the door mirror caps and subtle rear roof spoiler.
LED headlamps are also in the offing, as are Intelligent Around View Monitor and the complete suite of NissanConnect EV telematics. Inside, the car gets blue-stitched floor mats for a more premium ambiance. And that’s it, frankly, which begs the following question: why does Nissan charge so much for it?
Gareth Dunsmore, the director of EVs at Nissan’s European division, has an answer. According to Mr. Dunsmore, the Black Edition proves “that you don’t have to compromise on style or performance when purchasing an electric car.” Color me surprised, but that’s still too much for what the Leaf is to the EV crowd, more so when compared to the Hyundai Ioniq Electric.
That said, it’s worth noting that there are more than 250,000 Leafs on the road in this day and age, with the 30 kWh model offering up to 155 miles on a full charge. The next-generation model, however, is expected to up the battery capacity to 60 kWh, thus challenging the 2017 Opel Ampera-e.
Value for money may not be the specialty of the Leaf Black Edition, but what you do get in return for that bundle of pounds sterling is free in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot for the first 200 customers, as well as lots of otherwise optional bits. The 16-inch black alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Energy Saver tires, for example, are unique to the Black Edition. In addition to those, the murdered-out theme is continued by the door mirror caps and subtle rear roof spoiler.
LED headlamps are also in the offing, as are Intelligent Around View Monitor and the complete suite of NissanConnect EV telematics. Inside, the car gets blue-stitched floor mats for a more premium ambiance. And that’s it, frankly, which begs the following question: why does Nissan charge so much for it?
Gareth Dunsmore, the director of EVs at Nissan’s European division, has an answer. According to Mr. Dunsmore, the Black Edition proves “that you don’t have to compromise on style or performance when purchasing an electric car.” Color me surprised, but that’s still too much for what the Leaf is to the EV crowd, more so when compared to the Hyundai Ioniq Electric.
That said, it’s worth noting that there are more than 250,000 Leafs on the road in this day and age, with the 30 kWh model offering up to 155 miles on a full charge. The next-generation model, however, is expected to up the battery capacity to 60 kWh, thus challenging the 2017 Opel Ampera-e.
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